N.C. Speaker Recognized for Removing Cost Barrier to College Credit for Students

Raleigh, N.C. – Students from East Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte recently presented state House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) with an Advanced Placement Policy Leadership Award for removing a cost barrier to college credit for tens of thousands of students in North Carolina.

Student participation and successful performance on Advanced Placement (AP) exams in North Carolina increased substantially since the Republican-led General Assembly began funding college credit testing fees through the North Carolina Advanced Placement Partnership (NCAPP) in 2014.

“The mission of the partnership between the College Board and the state of North Carolina is to prepare, inspire, and connect post-secondary success and opportunity with a particular focus on minority students,” according to the website of the state-funded program.

Prior to the NCAPP program, North Carolina families paid out-of-pocket for college credit exam fees. The AP exam fee is currently $94 per subject, according to the College Board.

The North Carolina General Assembly will spend more than $50 million to pay college credit exam fees for families by 2019.

“I appreciate the recognition of our efforts to empower tens of thousands of students to succeed in higher learning by removing a cost barrier to college credit,” said House Speaker Tim Moore.

According to the state Board of Education, North Carolina had a 22% increase of students taking college credit exams, a 29% increase in the total number of exams taken and a 19% increase in successful test-takers under the Advanced Placement Partnership program.

Minority students’ participation and performance on AP exams in North Carolina public schools outpaced the nation under the Republican education program, according to NCAPP data.

Since 2014 North Carolina had “consistent growth annually in student enrollment across the state” and “growth in all three major categories of AP exam participation and performance,” according to NCAPP.

Earning college credit through successful participation on AP exams can save students on future tuition at universities and community colleges, too.

North Carolina also offers fixed-rate tuition and fees to students at public universities to provide consistency and predictability in the cost of college.

The 2018 state budget provides additional funds for the Advanced Placement Partnership to encourage participation in all school districts, revising the annual net appropriation to the partnership to $2.2 million in FY 2018-19.